Ignition and lighting switch



7 Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,642

E. N. JACOB] IGNITION AND LIGHTING SWITCH Filed Dec. 16, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESS ES Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,642

E. N-. JACOB] IGNITION AND LIGHTING SWITCH Filed Dec. 16. 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO N Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,642

E. N. JACOB] IGNITION AND LIGHTING SWITCH Filed Dec. 16, 1921 '3 Sheets-Sheet I VENTOQ ATTOQN E Y key for controlling the ignition,

Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,658,642 PATENT OFFICE,

EDWARD N. JACOBI, OF MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO BRIGGS & STRA'I'TON CORPORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

IGNITION AND LIGHTING SWITCH.

Application filed December 16, 1921. Serial No. 522,847.

This invention relates to combination ignition and lighting switches for use on automobiles and has for its object to simplify the construction thereof and reduce the cost of manufacture making use of rivets to a large extent and dispensing withthe necessity for the use of screws except for binding post purposes and attaching screws.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having a handle capable of movement to different positions for controlling the lighting and adapted to receive a the key operating through the handle to control the ignition throughout the range of movement of the handle.

Another object of the invention is to condense the switch structure as much as possible and to eliminate the for switch contacts.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the switch as herein claimed, its parts and combinations of parts and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in diiferent views,

Figure 1 is a front view of a switch constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is arear view thereof;

Figure 3 is a view of the inner face of the terminal head;

Figure 4 is a rear view of the switch with the terminal head removed;

Figure 5 is an edge view of the switch;

Figure 6 is a central sectional view thereofon the plane of line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a rear view of the switch case sectioned through the nut pockets and having the handle and driver in place;

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the handle with the driver in place and showing a modified form of spring thrust cup;

Figure 9 is a. detail view of'such spring thrust cup;

Figure 10 is a detail view retainer therefor;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the switch through the two ignition contacts and on the plane of line 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 12 is a rear view of the handle with the key guide in place;

of the spring corresponding use of leaf springs Figure 13 is a detail view of the driver;

Figure 14 is a. detail view of the lighting switch spider;

Figure 15 is a guide, and

Figure 16 is a face view of the key.

In these drawings, 15 indicates a switch handle mounted to turn in a central opening in a front plate 16. The front plate is riveted at its top and bottom flanges to the parts of a somewhat similarly shaped back plate 17 and the two together constitute a cylindrical switch case with attaching flanges in an intermediate plane so as to be adapted to bear against the back of a sheet metal instrument panel 18 while the raised circular portion of the front plate protrudes through the switch opening of said panel in the manner shown in Figures 5, 6, and 11. In the back plate 17 are depressions forming nut pockets 19, in which nuts 20 are confined between the two plates by lugs 21 struck up from the front plate. Both plates have openings registering with the openings of the nuts to make the nuts accessible to attaching screws 22 that fasten the switch case to the switch panel. The ends of the flanges of the two plates are depressed to prevent the rivet heads interfering with the flanges bearing flatly againstthe back of the panel.

The rear edge of the cylindrical switch case is turned inwardly slightly to bear against the inner face of a terminal head 23 consisting of a disk of fiber or other in sulating material. Suitable notches 24 are formed in the edge of the terminal head to receive bifurcated lugs 25 which are left standing on the edge of the switch case so that when the parts are assembled and the terminal head is in place these lugs may be bent over on the terminal head to lock it in perspective view of the key place and rigidly secure the parts together.

The handle 15 is limited to an arc of movement that will include the three positions indicated on the front plate by the words Oif, Dim, and On, the shape of the handle being such that it constitutes a point er indicating the condition of the switch by registering with these words. This limitation is produced by 2, lug 26 shown in Figures 6 and 7 bent up from the edge of the opening of the front plate into-a gap formed in the flange of the handle. It thus forms a stop engaged by shoulders 27 formed by the flange at the ends of said gap.

At the center of the handle isa tubular portion 28 in which is rotatably mounted a spring metal key guide 29 consisting of a strip of sheet metal bent to a U-shape with its ends turned outwardly to fit the cylindrical Walls of the tube 28 and against the inturned flange 30 at the end of the handle. The flat key 31 may be entered through the key-hole in this flange and passed between the parallel sides ot the key guide, where it engages spring tongues cut from said key guide and the pair of horns at the end of the key may then straddle the reduced bent portion of the key guide, as shown in Figure 6, and enter a slot 32 in the head of a driver 33 for tnrmng same.

The driver 33, as best seen in Figure 8, has a cylindrical body portion with a flange of somewhat larger diameter forminga head thereon and an extension beyond the flange which rotatably fits in the end of the tubular portion 28 of the handle with a cavity receiving the reduced bent end portion of the key guide. in the tubular body portion of the driver and seated against shoulders thereof presses the flange against the end of the tubular portion 28 of the handle and V-shaped projeetions and notches in the flange and tubular portion of the handle respectively form detents for retaining the driver against accidental turning from the position in which its slot 32 registers with the key opening and from the position at an angle of 90 thereto. A lug 3-5 projecting from the flange of the driver plays between stop shoulders 36 ofthe handle, as best seen in Figure 7, to limit the turning movement of the driver to the 90 are that changes it from one engagement of the detents to the other or from the position in which the key groove registers with the key opening to the position at right angles thereto.

The other end of the driveris provided with a pair of projecting lugs 37 which fit in openings of an insulating disk 38 carrying a contact strip 39 bearing on the terminal head 23 to constitute an ignition switch. The spring 34 bears on the insulating disk 38 to hold its contact strip in firm bearing against the terminal head, while at the same time serving the detents as before mentioned.

As best seen in Figures 4 and 11, the con tact strip 39 consist-s of a thin strip of sheet metal, usually brass, embossed to form contact projections near its ends, which are bent upwardly and clinched in notches in the edge of insulating disk 38. Between the insulating disk and the contact strip is a thin sheet 40 of insulation with flaps A spring 34 contained with-.

sunk in the inner face of the terminal headwith their stems passing through'the terminal head and upset to form rivets engaging binding posts 42. These inserts. which lie flush with the surface of theterminal head, form the terminals of an ignition circuit and are bridged across by the contact strip 39 for completing said ignition circuit when the key is inserted and turned to its position across the key opening in register with the designation Ign On appearing on the end of the handle. lVhen, however, the key is turned to the position in which it can be removed, or in register with the word Ofi' appearing on theend-of the handle, the contact strip lies between the contact 41 and the ignition circuit is interrupted. This is true of the switch when used for battery ignition, but, when used for magneto ignition, the parts will be so arranged as to make connection for grounding the magneto in the OH position and for breakingsuch connection in the On position. The large flat heads of the contacts 41 insure a contact in the On position of the key throughout the range of movement of the handle so that whether the lighting switch is in the Oil position or either of the other positions, the ignition switch, though moving with the lighting switch handle, remains in bridging engagement with the contacts. Likewise. in the"Ofl position of the key, the contact strip remains out of engagement with the contacts 41 throughout the range of movement of the handle. Thus the ignition switch, though moving with the lighting switch handle, is controlled by the key independently.

The binding posts 42 consist of strips of sheet metal bent to form rectangular pockets for containing ordinary nuts 43 and screws 44 pass through openings in'the strips and are threaded in the nuts for clamping the terminal. connectors therewith in the manner usual with binding posts. This dispenses with the necessity for forming screwthreads in the switch parts, the ordinal-v nuts and screws being much less expensive for the purpose. The metal strips forming the nut pockets have their ends riveted to the back of the terminal head by the upset ends of the contacts 41., while opposite ends thereof have projecting lugs 45 entering openings 46 in the terminal head to anchor the binding posts in place and prevent them from pivoting on the rivets. These openthrough the spider the opening through the insulating disk to the head portion of the driver is a springthrust cup 47 with its edge turned outwardly and bearing on the handle with a coil spring 48 seated thereon. An insulating ,disk 49 1s loosely mounted on said cylindrical portion of the driver and has riveted to it a rigid contact spider 50 with legsspreading from it in various directions to engage con-' tacts on the terminal head. The opening is somewhat larger than prevent electrical connection between the spider and the driver and the spring 48 forces the contact spider in firm bearing with the contacts on the terminal head. A thin sheet of insulation 51 is placed between the spring and the insulating disk 49 to prevent the spring from engaging the spider rivets.

In that form of the invention shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10, the spring 48, instead of bearing directly on the insulating sheet 51, engages a spring retainer ring 52, which, in turn, bears on the insulating sheet. The spring retainer ring 52 has T-shaped tongues 53 projecting from its inner edge and adapted to engage notches 54 in the spring thrust cup 47. Thus the separation of the ring 52 from the end thrust cup is limited to the distance of travel of the tongues 53 before their T-shaped ends engage the bottom of the spring thrust cup. This serves to hold the parts together and facilitate the assembling of the device.

The insulating disk 49 is caused to turn with the handle by reason of the handle having two downwardly projecting arms 55' fitting in notches 56 of the insulating disk. 1

This is a sufficiently loose fit to permit the insulatingdisk to move toward and away from the handle as the lighting switch spider travels over its raised contacts 57 on the face of the terminal head 23. The lighting switch, however, is subject to the pressure of spring 48 to hold it firmly in its various positions, the contact legs of the spider so being slightly recessed to fit the raised round heads of the contacts to prevent accidental displacement of the switgh The contacts 57 of the lighting switch constitute rivets passing through the ter minal head 23. shown in Figure 6, and are grouped by the common electric connections made therewith by metal tie-plates 58, 59 and (30 riveted by them to the back of the terminal head. These tie-plates have screws 61 threaded in them to,.constitute binding posts for the lead wires according to the designations appearing on the back of the terminal head, as shown in Figure 2, thus plate 58 is connected, with the headlight circuit,

plate 59 with the rear light circuit, plate 60 with the horn circuit, and the binding posts 44 with the battery and ignition circuit respectively. The plates 58 and 59, furthermore, have theirends bent out from'the terminal head to form brackets 62. end of each bracket is a slit forminga pair of ears, and

a coil of resistance wire 63 is suspended between the brackets by having its ends inserted between the cars, which are then pinched together to clamp itin place and establish electrical connection therewith. The other plate 60 and the battery binding post 44 have fuse clips 64 riveted'to them, with a fuse 65 connecting them. Thus the battery connection continues from the battery binding to plate 60, placing the horn normally in circuit without depending on the switchcxcept for the fuse connection, while the lighting and ignition circuits are established from the contacts 57, which secure said plate '60 in place and from the contact 41 which rivets the fuse clip in place, respectively. The lighting circuit is thus dependent on the fuse. In the Off position of the lighting switch, which is the position of the spider shown in Figure 4, there is no contact with either of the contacts 57 in connection with the plate 60 and therefore there is no lighting circuitestablished. In the Dim position the uppermost spider leg 4 will have engaged the first contact of plate (30 in connection with the battery and the right hand contact leg will have engaged the first contact of plate 59 connected with the rear lights, so that the rear light circuit will be established and, because of the resistor connecting the rear light plate 59 with the headlight plate 58, the headlight circuit will be established with the resistor included so that the headlights will burn dim. "In the On position the uppermost spider l-eg of Figure 4 will have engaged the second contact of plate (80 so as to still In the post through the fuse of Figure lUU be in connection with the battery, the right hand spider leg of Figure 4will have engaged the second contact of plate 59 so that the ignition switch contact strip 39 will be in engagement with contacts 41 to establish the ignition. circuit if the key is inserted and turned to the On position, whereas it will be out of engagement with said contacts if the key is turned to the "Otf position or removed.

In order to protect the resistor coil, it is preferred to surround it with a tube 66 '5 and 6.

It will be seen that the switch of this invention has been simplified in its construc-- tion to reduce the cost of manufacture by utilizing sheet metal stampings wherever" possible and bythe use of sheet insulation and die cast handle and driver. Also the cost of manufacture has been greatly reduced by the use of standard nuts and screws.

Still the switch is strong and'durable, no

reliance being placed on leaf springs for contacts, but, rigid contaotbars being employed for both lighting and ignition-with coil springs firmly holdingthem in engagement with their contacts. Nice adjustments are made unnecessary, thus facilitating the assembling of the switch and rendering it immune to derangement by reason of warping or shrinking of fiber insulation and making it possible to rely on rivets as the means for securing the parts together. Atthe same time the switch isneat and ornamental in its appearance, conforming with the current practice as to location ofthe switch case behind the panel .and this without occupying, much space and without making the terminal connections inaccessible.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

'1. In a combination switch, a rotatably mounted handle, a terminal head, a switch member bearing on the terminal head and controlled by the handle, a driver rotatably I mounted on the handle and having a toothed engagement with the handle, a second switch member bearing on the terminal head and engaged by the driver, and a spring between the driver and the second switch member for holding the second switch member in its contact engagement with the terminal head and to hold the driver in its toothed engagement with the handle.

2. In a combination switch, a switch case,

a handle mounted to turn therein, a terminal head on the switch case, arms pro ecting from the handle, a switch member engaging said arms and bearing on the terminal head,-

a driver mounted to turn on the handle and passing throu h the switch member and provided with a iIange having a toothed engagement with the handle, a key passing through the handle and engaging the driver for turning'it, a second switch member engaged and turned by the driver and bearing on the terminal head, and a spring between the second switch member and the driver.

3. In a combination switch, a handlemounted to turn, a switch member turned by the handle, a terminal head against which the switch member bears, a driver mounted to turn on the handle, a spring surrounding the driver and bearing on the handle at one end and on the switch member at the other end, and a second switch member engaged nal head secured to the switch case, arms projecting from. the handle, an insulating disk slidably mounted 'on the arms, a contact spider secured to the insulating disk and bearing on the terminal head, a driver .mountedtoturn in the handle and passing through the insulating disk and provided with a toothed flange engaging the handle, stops on the handle, a projection on the driver playing between the stops, a key passing through the handle and engaging the driver for turning it, a spring thrust cup surrounding the driver and bearing on the handle, a coiled spring engaging. the thrust cup at one end and the insulating disk at the other end, a second insulating disk loosely engaged by the driver, a contact strip thereon bearing on the terminal head, and a coiled spring within the driver bearing on the driver and on the second insulating disk.

5. In a combination switch, a handle mounted to turn, a switch member turned thereby, a driver mounted in the switch handle, a' second switch member driven thereby, a flanged thrust cup surrounding the driver and bearing on the handle, a thrust ring bearing on the first switch memher, a coiled spring surrounding the thrust cup and bearing at one end against the flange thereof and at the other end against the thrust ring, said thrust ring having arms passing through openings in the thrust cup with stop projections on them to limit the movement of the spring.

6. In a combination switch, a handle mounted to turn, a switch member turned thereby, a driver mounted to turn in the handle, a second switch member' driven thereby, a flanged thrust cup surrounding the driver and bearing on the handle, a thrust ring having Tshaped arms bent up therefrom and entering notches in the thrust cup to limit the separation of the thrust ring and thrust cup, and a coiled spring surrounding the thrustcup and engaging the flange and the ring. V

7. In a switch, a switch case comprising a front plate having a raised portion adapted to pass through an opening in a panel and having flanges to bear on-the back of the panel, a rear plate having flanges riveted to the flanges'of the front plate and having depressions in said flanges to form nut pockets, nuts contained in said nut pockets to receive the attaching screws, and a terminal head secured to the back plate.

8. In a switch, a suitably operated driver provided with a pair of driving lugs, an insulating disk fitting thereon, a spring hearing on the back of the insulating dish, a. contact strip extending across the face of nesaeaa the insulating disk and secured thereto to reenforce it against bending and embossed. to form projections at its ends, a terminal head on 'WlllCll the projections of the contactd'strip bear, and contacts inthe terminal hea engaged by the projections'of the contact strip.

9. In a switch, a suitably operated driver havinga pair of driving lugs, an insulating disk having openings to receive the lugs, a contact strip insulating disk between the openings, a sheet of insulation between the contact strip and the insulating disk and having fiap's cut therefrom in line with the driving lugs, and a terminal head having contacts engaged by the contact strip. v

10. In a switch, a handle, a driver operated by the handle, a stationary detent sur face engaged by the driver, a rigid contact member having driving connection with the driver, stationary contacts engaged by the contact member, and a spring between the contact member and the driver for urging the contact member against the contacts and the driver against the detent surface.

11. In a switch, a terminal head, rivets passing therethrough forming switch contacts, metal plates secured to the back of the terminal head by said rivets and bent to form nut pockets, nuts contained in the nut pockets, and screws threaded in the nut-s to form binding posts.

12. In a switch, a terminal'head, rivets passing therethrough forming switch contacts, metal plates secured to the backof the terminal head by'means of said rivets and bent to form nut pockets between them and the back of the terminal head, lugs on said nut pockets fitting in openings of the terminal head, nuts contained in the nut pockets, and screws threaded in the nuts to form binding posts.

13. In a switch,

a handle, a driver operated by the handle,

a detent surface engaged by the driver, a contact member having driving connection with the driver, contacts engaged by the contact member, and a spring between the contact member and the driver for urging the contact member against the contacts and the driver against the detent surface.

14; In a switch a suitably operated driver,

- a detent surface engaged by the driver, a

contact member having driving connection with the driver, contacts engaged by the con tact member, and spring means between the contact member and the driver 'for urging the contact member against the contacts and the driver against the detent surface.

15. In a multiple switch, a movable switch member, a second switch member mounted concentrically therewith and havsecured across the face of the ing ratchet connection with the first switch" member to move with it but capable of independent movement, and stationary contacts engaged and disengaged by the second switch member in its ments, said second switch member remaining so engaged or disengaged during the-movements of the first switch member.

16. In a multiple switch, a movable switch member, a second 'switch member movable therewith and having independent movement to positions determined by, the first switch member, and stationary contacts engaged and disengaged by the second switch member during its independent movements, said second switch member remaining so engaged or disengaged during the movements of the first switch member,

17. In a multiple switch, a movable switch member, a second switch member movable therewith and relative'thereto and having its relative positions determined by the first switch member, and contacts engaged and disengaged by the second switch member during its relative movements and remaining so engaged or disengaged throughout the ran e of the joint movements of the switch mem ers. I

18. In a multiple switch, a movable switch member, contacts engaged thereby, said switch member having a limited range of movement through positions determined by its engagement with the contacts, a second switch -member having ratchet connection with the first switch member and having independent movejoint movement therewith and also capable of independent movement, and contacts engaged and disengaged by the second switch member.

19. In a switch, a casing member, a switch member mounted therein and limited in its movements by the casing member, a terminal head bearing against the edge of the casing member, contacts on the terminal head, means for positioning the contacts for engagement by the switch member comprising lugs on the edge of the casing member engaging notches in the edge of the terminal head, a second switch member mounted to turn in the'first switch member and having ratchetengagement therewith so that both switch members may move together or the second switch member may have independent movement, and contacts on the terminal head engaged and disengaged by the second switch member during its independent movements but remaining so engaged or disengaged throughout the joint movements of the switch members.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. 3 

